Overview:

An eye sty is simply an infection or inflammation of one of the oil or sebaceous glands that lies along the edge of the eyelid. Eye sties appear as painful red lumps and then develop heads of whitish pus. They are not contagious and cannot be passed from person to person.

Children tend to develop sties more often than adults, probably because children’s glandular secretions are more erratic, especially during puberty, and children tend to be less careful about keeping their hands clean and away from their eyes.

Symptoms:

• Appearance of red lumps which then develop heads of whitish pus.

Causes:

• Usually caused by some unnoticed chronic infection.

Conventional Treatment:

Sties are usually treated with plain hot compresses, although you could also use a boric acid solution. When treatment is begun early ?right after a sty is first noticed ?it will usually clear up in a couple of days.

Many doctors prescribe antibiotic drops or ointment to control the infection. Sties rarely require excision, and under no circumstances should a sty be squeezed. The eyelid is the thinnest skin on the body and is easily damaged.

Complementary Treatment:

Essential: EyeEase Formula is an herbal tincture from Integral Health Associates that combines Western and Chinese herbs to help ease conjunctivitis and sties. Cost is $22 per 2 ounce bottle ($20.00 automatic delivery price). Recommended dosage is 1/2 dropperful 3 times a day for treatment when infection is present. Best taken on empty stomach.
Precaution: Do not use EyeEase directly on your eyes. It is to be taken only internally, or can be used as a compress (make 8 ounces of boiling water. Put in 1 dropper full of EyeEase. Let the alcohol burn off for one minute then let the water cool down till its warm. Proceed to dip in a washcloth and place over your closed eyes.

Self Help:

There is often a relationship between a patient’s diet and digestive system and diseases of the eyelid. Poor digestion and improper diet (such as fried foods) can often cause problems such as sties. Reduce your intake of saturated fat and avoid hydrogenated oils and fried foods.